Pipe-thread protector



aateatee .tary ic, reas..

l .aereas HENRY w. avenir, or CLEVELAND, omo.

PIPE-THREAD rno'rnc'roa.

application mea october 1'3, 192i. serial no. 507,481.

l To all whom. t may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY W. AVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State of hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe-Threadv Protectors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the loading and unloading and other handling of pipes whose ends are externally threaded, the threads are liable to be damaged unless protected. The object of this y* invention is to provide a thread protector v claims.

' the pipe; Fig. 6' is a transverse sectiona view of the same in the plane of line 6-6- Tn the drawing, Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a threaded pipe and a protector thereon embodying the preferred form of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the protector of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section in the plane of line 3 3y of Fig. 1; Fig. 4C isy a sectional view of the'y rotector as shown in Figs. ,1, 2 and 3, omitting the pipe and holding nail; Fig. 5 is a view partly sectional, of p a modified form of the protector embracin of Fi 5; and Figs 7 and 8 are views similar to igs.i5 and 6, showing a further modiication. f

Referring to the parts by reference characters, 10 represents a pipe whose threaded end is to be protected. This protection is brought about by a sleeve 11, which is preferably formed of sheet metal, I.but may be formed ofother material. This sleeve which is designed to surround the threaded part of the .pipe is open at the end, being preferably provided with an inturned flange 11 designed to fit against the end of the pipe, this flange forming an opening to provide means whereby one handling the pipe can insert a bar or hook, i. e. tov facilitate its handling. The size of the sleeve 11 compared with the threaded end of the pipe is such 'that the sleeve can be readily slipped over the threads.

- In accordance with my invention 1n lts preferredform, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4:,

and produced from the preferred material, namely, sheet metal, the sleeve is provided with an external .or outwardly bent rib 12 extending part way around thesleeve, this .rib or protuberance forming' an internal groove 13a. Additionally the sleeve is provided preferably substantially in the plane of the rib 0r protuberance 12,- and extending between the ends thereof, with an internal rib or protuberance 13. The vcxternal and internal ribs 12 and 13 preferably extend spirally around the sleeve and run parallel to, or follow the pitch of the thread for va purpose to be explained. At a point about the middle of the external groove or protuberancethere is a lowered or relatively depressed portion 14, located between oppositely facing openings or entrance holes 14;a for'the'two halves of the internal groove-13 which is interrupted by the lowered or relatively de ressed part 14 formin in eect two interna. grooves. This is clear y illustrated in Fig. 4.

In'the use of this device the sleeve is slipped onto ,the threaded end of the pipe,

and then a suitable locking device 15 which' will function as a key is inserted in one of the openings 14a, and driven art way around in the groove 13a so that 1t will lie partly in one of the thread 'grooves of the ipe. By driving in this device the part of the sleeve o posite to the point of entrance of the evice, namely, the internal rib or protuberance is pulled up into the thread groove of the pipe so that the sleeve v becomes locked both by thev fastening. de-

.vice which is'thus driven in, and b the internal rib or protuberance 13. T e sleeve is now held against slipping ofl thefpipe, and in fact, it cannot be taken 0H unless the device is pulled out, or unless the sleeve is screwedoli the pipe.

The locking device 15, referred to, will generally consist of a wire nail, although .other devices could be used, such as a suitable piece of wire, or even a. strip 4of wood. In fact, anything which can. be driven into the groove 13a and which forms the equivalent of a -wed e or key to tighten the sleeve on the pipe in the manner just explained, can

be used.

The device described above can be modified in certain minor particulars without destroying its effectiveness or altering its principle of operation. For example, instead of a single internal rib or protubeance 13 the internal groove, although one or more wire nails or e uivalentdevlces could be I may employ a plurality 0i them, the spacing of which can, if desired, correspond to the pitch of the thread, in which event all of them will be pulled into the j threadgrooves ofthe pipe. Or instead of having one or more continuous internal ribs it may have' circumferentially separatedor spaced inner rojections.

' In igs. 5 and 6, the sleeve which is-he're designated 16, is provided with an external rib o'r protuberance 17, forming an internal groove which extends spirally parallel with the pitch of uthe fthread, almost entirely around the sleeve. This external rib 17 is interrupted at one or more points, indicated at 17, forming openings 17b for the inser-` tion in the internal groove of the key, wed e, or holding device which is employed. n

lthis event, the vinternal protuberance or ro? tuberances correspondin to the interna rib 13 is dispensed with, an the locking of the 'sleeve depends upon the holding device or devices entirely, which act -as4 keys to hold the/sleeve in place. The number of the interrupted points 17 and pairs of openings leadin to the vinternal groove that are employe and therefore the number of hold.

ing devices necessaryfto be used as keys to hold the sleeve securely in place will depend u on the size of the pipe, several being emp o ed for the larger sizes of pipe..

n this instance the holding device or key is in vthe form of a piece of wire 18,- which 'is inserted in both openings 17b or ends of utilized, as" exp ained in connection with Figs.1to4. 'I'

In order to insure that the wire or nail, or equivalent-device will not be accidentally pulled out during. the `handling of the pipe, two outwardly pressed bosses or lugs 19 are formed on the` sleeve in the'interrupted space between and on opposite sides of theholes 17'J or ends of the internal groove.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modification wherein the protector or sleeve 21 ma be formed from cast or wrought metal. Thls sleeve is, provided on its inner periphery with a spiral'groove 22 extending part way around the sleeve, whichgroove ma be either machined or cast in the sleeve. ikewise, the sleevev is provided with a peripheral arc -shaped cut-away portion 23, extending a short distance around the sleeve formingjopenings 24 leading into the groove 22. This -sleeve is locked and held onto the threaded end of the pipe in precisely the manner previously described, i. e'. by means of a wire nail, a wire, or a plurality of'them, or any other suitable device which may be ex dient.

ith the protector described above and several forms of which are illustrated, the threaded end of the. pipe is thoroughly pro- -tectedagainst dmnage.` The protector can be applied very readily, and it ca -n be asv readily removed. It is'nexpensive to manufacture, as well as to apply. In view ofthese decided advantages it will be apparent that I have provided an improvement of considerable merit in thread protectors.

While I have shown several modifications of my invention, I do not desire to be con- -fined to the precise details or arrangements shown, but aim in my -claims to coverall modifications which do not involve a departure lfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A pipe. thread protector comprising sleeve having an internal. groove extending part Way .around it and having an opening. communicating with said groove, and a locking key which lies partly 1n said groove, the diameter of said key being eater than the depth of the groove where y 'thekey `Will projectinto one of the spiral grooves of a threaded pipe upon which the sleeve is fitted.

2. A pipe thread-protector comprising a sleeve having two spaced a art holesl and having an internal groove W ich extends in 'oppKoslte directions from said holes, and a ing key which extends from a oint out'- 4side of the sleeve between said oles and which passesthrough one of said holes and lies partly in `said internal groove, whereby it will lie partly in the thread oove of the pipe towhich the 'sleeve is tte 3'. A ipe thread protector comprising a sleeve a apted to surround the threaded end of a pipe, lsaid sleeve having an internal ygroove with anqopening leading to the exterior of the sleeve so that a locking key may be inserted through said opening. inl the groove, and an" internal projection ada ted vto be pulled up into the thread ooveo the pipe on the insertion ofa loc 'ng key in the groove. 4. A thread protector for a.. pipe comprising asleeve having an internal groove and having an opening by which one end of the oove communicates with thev exterior of the sleeve, and said sleeve having'substan'- tially opposite said opening an internal protuberance adapted to be pulled up into a thread groove of the pipe when a locking key is inserted through said opening into the. groove. K

5 A protector for the threaded-end'ofa pipe comprising a sleeve having an external rib extending part way .around the sleeve forming an internal groove, there being an opening in the pipe communicatin with the groove, and said sleee .having su tantially v 6. The combination of a pipe which is' lies partly in said grooveand partly in one externally threaded at one end, a thread' proof the spiral thread grooves of the pipe, and tecting sleeve which fits vloosely over said which extends through .said hole in the 10 threaded end of the piper-said sleeve havsleeve and lies partly outside of said sleeve.

5 ing an internal groove which extends par; In testimony Whereof,1 hereunto ax my way around it,y and a hole communicating signature.

'\ with said groove, and a locking key which HENRY W. AVERY. 

